IAP 144: 10 Easy Steps to Becoming an Even Better Italian American While You're Stuck at Home

What have you been doing doing your time in "lockdown"? We here at the Italian American Podcast have been doing what we do best-- working on being as unabashedly Italian American as possible!  Seeing as a big part of the Italian American identity is drawing from the interactions we have with friends, family and fellow paesani, more than two months in isolation have forced us to find some pretty innovative ways to be extra-Italian without leaving the house! Some of our discoveries have been so much fun that we figured we should share our proprietary strategies with our amici out there in Italian America, so in this week's episode, we present: "10 Easy Steps To Becoming An EVEN BETTER Italian American While You're Stuck At Home!" We're exploring the various experiences we've had while living in quarantine and sharing how some activities that help pass the time can help strengthen the ties that bind us to our heritage— we'll talk about how we are attempting to support Italian American small businesses without leaving the couch, how watching Mass online is changing how we live our faith, and why the right flour for the perfect loaf of Italian bread is a commodity one of us has cornered the market on! We also share what we're cooking up in the "Cucina Quarantena," where we're recreating old family recipes, taking part in kitchen experiments, and getting the chance to truly sit down and pause while having a family meal with our loved ones. And, we'll give you countless tips, tricks, and ideas on how to use this time to organize family photos, partake in a genealogical journey, learn a bit of Italian or a regional language, and much, much more! Sure, some states are reopening, although others are continuing to experience lockdown for the foreseeable future, but no matter when you and yours get the "all clear," the best part about this list is that it extends beyond lockdown, so you can try all of our suggestions even after the COVID craziness ends, and maybe get your friends and famiglia in on the fun too!